Packing reno



V T. A. BOWERS June 16, 1931.

Re. 18,102 PACKING RING Original Filed Feb. 27, 1930 Reiaued June 16, 1931 UNITED STATES Re.v 18,102

THOMAS A. BOWERS, 0F B05101), SETTS, ASSIGNOB. TO PRESSED PISTON RING COMPANY, A CORPOBATIQN OI MASSACHUSETTS raoxnm mo Original Ilo. 1,796,882, dated March 17, 1981, Serial No. 481,814, filed February 27., 1830. Application for reissue filed April 9, 1931. Serial Ito. 528,915.

My present invention relates to packing rings and more particularly to packing rings for use in combination with reciprocating pistons which are used in steam engines, internal combustion engines, air compressors, pumps and the like. In the engineering field it is a Well known and universally recognized fact that a'packing ring must fit snugly in the cylinder bore of the en ine at all points around the periphery of the ring in order to prevent leakage of compression and oil and that an ideal piston ring should have some of thecharacteristics of rubber but at the same time stand up under heat, friction and other elements to which it is exposed which, of course, rubber would not do.

Heretofore, practically all packing rings for pistons have been made from cast metal such as cast iron either in one form or another in which the ring is split at one point on its side by cutting a section of the ring away. A ring of this type normally presents a periphery which is a true circle except where the slot or cut-away portion occurs. This normal periphery is larger in diameter than the bore of the cylinder in which it is to he placed and is reduced in diameter to fit such bore by pressing the ring together at the cut-away portion. When a ring of this character is so pressed together for the purpose of reducing its diameter for insertion in a cylinder bore in combination with a piston, the natural formation or shape of the ring is slightly oval in shape about its eriphery and in order to force it into the liore of the cylinder the back sides of the ring with respect to the slotted side must be deformed or bent outward against the walis of the cylinder bore. This is against the natural reaction of the ring. The result of this deformation is to create an unequal lateral thrust against the wall of the cylinder varying at different points about the wall and reaching a maximum point adjacentjhat portion of the ring near the slot. This effect is an inherent feature with all cast metal rings of this type which results in wearing the ring thinner at one point than another and wearing the cylinder bore out of round also, to the end that, eventually the sides of the rin remote from the slotted side tend to rece e from the wall of the cylinder and allow compression to blow by the piston, and oil to pass in an opposite direction. There are also other forces in operation in a reciprocating en ine tending to increase the oval shape of t e cylinder bore, such as piston slap and piston side thrust caused by the revolutions about the crank shaft and excess ve clearance between the cylinder wall and piston which may be to some extent traceable to worn rings.

Many attempts have been made in the past to construct a metal packing ring for pistons and the like which will stand up mechanically and give uniform flexibility on the cylinder wall, such as relativel thin cast metal rings with separate expan er units located behind the tin for the purpose of holding the deformed s ape against the cylinder wall in a more even degree of side thrust, and while such rings do accomplish the result of forming up to the out of round cylinder bore, yet it does so at the expense of the cylinder wall because of increased friction caused by the extremely high lateral side thrust on the cylinder walls. Most rings of this class as well as modified types are open ended rings, that is, the ends of the slots do not full close as clearance must be left to allow or expansion under heat.

My present invention, however, is a closed end ring such that the two ends are in contact with each other, the expansion of the ring being taken up by the multi licity of laminations comprising the body 0; the ring itself.

In my ring there may be as many as several hundred or more laminations, the laminations coacting against each other in a resilient and compressible manner. My complete ring is made with a diameter normally oversized with respect to the cylinder bore and when inserted in the bore the piston with rings attached may be pulled down through a tapering cone, the small end of which is approximately the size of the cylinder bore as it enters the cylinder block. This reduction in diameter creates an outward thrust against the cylinder wall uniformly the same at every fraction of a degree about the en'- cumference of the ring. If the bore of the cylinder is slightly out of round as is the case where new rings are necessary, the extreme flexibility of my ring allows it to conform to the contour of the cylinder bore without requiring any appreciable amount of thrust at that point over any other point about the circumference of the ring. If my ring is made of the same material or of material having the same degree of hardness as in the cast metal type previously discussed, it is readily apparent that my ring will greatly outwear the prior ring without allowing any gases to blow b Therefore, I can use a metal of a softer character than the prior rings, such as bronze, and attain the same length of life as would be present in the prior cast metal ring, but, in so doing I have reduced the wear on the cylinder walls, thereby prolonging the life and efiiciency of the motor.

The amount of compressibility present in my ring depends u on the gauge and kind of metal used, that 1s, the smaller the gauge the greater the number of laminations, and the greater the temper of the material used the greater the expansibility. As the periphcry of the ring wears the spaces between the laminations sli htly expand although such expansion would not be perceptible at any one oint with the naked eye and when the ring as Worn sutiiciently on its periphery for the spaces between the laminations to fully expand to their normal limits the ring will be due for replacement, and such replacement may be accomplished many times without rcboring the cylinder walls while the length of life of any one rin may be approximately hmg as in a cast iron ring, assuming that the proper material is used. this being made possible by the much lighter side thrust used in my ring over the cast metal types.

While myring is ideally suited for replacement purposes 'to correct the out-of-rmmd condition of the cylinder here. yet, it is also ideally suited for new installation work because a ring of this character will greatly prolong the length of life oi the cylinder bore which means more engim cflicicncy in every phase of the motor.

The type of ring comprising my invention is composed of a plurality of closely transversely corrugated metal ribbons, here shown as three in number. but it may be ot a smaller or larger number. preferably, though not necessarily. an odd number. In the preterrcd form illustrated n this application three ribbons are use-ti the two outer rihhons living made from inn nil. of material. -ronar. and the can fi lies being h 4 ll ent l'i "Ti" 1 as rieci,

therefore, is an improved packing ring for pistons and the like;

Another object is a piston packing ring which is compressible in a longitudinal direction' Another object is a piston packing ring which is compressible and flexible transver sally across the diameter of the ring;

Still another object is a. piston packing ring which is closed at its ends when in use and therefore presents a continuous and substantiallyunhroken seal around the piston, and

Other objects and novel features comprising the construction and operation of my invention will appear as the description of the same progresses.

In the drawings illustrating the present invention:.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one of the preliminary steps in the formation of the ring material particularly illustrating the three individual metal ribbons;

Fig. 2 is a second step also shown in per-- spective, in which the loops of corrugations shown in Fig. 1 have been closed up or pressed together such that all sides are in contact with each other;

Fig. 3 is another perspective view similar to Fig. 2 but carrying the formation a step further. In this s'tep the rounded ends of the pressed corrugations have been swaged off into parallel flat surfaces;

Fig. 4 illustrates a separated view of the material as shown in Fig. 2 prior to the swaging process;

Fig. 5 is a similar separated view of the material after having been swaged as shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 shows a completed ring in which the edges of the folded ribbons are adapted to contact with the cylinder wall;

Fig. T is a typical segmental cross section taken through the head of a piston and cylinder wall showing the ring-assembly as shown in Fig. (5 in place in the piston and cylinder here;

Fig. 8 illustrates the same ring material as shown in Fig. 6 but turned at 90 degrees thereto;

Fig. 9 shows the ring illustrated in Fig. 8 in place in a piston and cylinder bore, being a view similar to Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 illustrates the normal expanded ring in place in the grooves of a piston prior to insertion in a cylinder bore;

Fig. 11 is a view showing the same piston and ring as shown in Fig. 10 but after they have been inserted within a cylinder bore. particularly illustrating the contraction of the ring into a smaller diameter due to lineal compression of the ring material;

Fig. 12 is a detail view of the ends of the ring showing a slip-wire insertion in the ring material for the purpose of opening up the rin diameter prior to slipping over the head a piston;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary cross section through the to of acylindershowinga piston in elevation in the act of being drawn down throu h a tapered collar resting over the cylinder ore for thepurpose of contractin the ring material to the size of the cylinder ore prior to insertion in the said bore; and

Fig. 14 shows the same ring material as shown in Fig. 3 except that the lower side 13 has not been swaged'ofi fiat like the top side; this looped side allows for oil penetration to the backof the piston ring groove in the piston such that this cavity may be maintained full of oil and act as a cushion to reduce piston slap.

Referrin more s cifically to the drawings, 10 in icates a ribbon of soft steel interposed between two ribbons of softer metal 11, as bronze or some other good bearing metal com und.

T e ribbons 10 and 11 are fed through corrugating or crimping mechanism, not

shown, and the corrugations or crimps 12 are formed after which theygare pressed together lengthwise as shown in ig. 2. The material comprising the ribbons are now. swaged along the to of the corrugations 12 such that the meta is flowed into fiat parallel sides 13 but divided into flat rectangular segments 14 having dividing lines 15 partially separating each other. F show the shape of the ribbons 10 and 11. Fig.

' 4 showing the outer loops of the corrugations 12intheir natural formationpriortoflattening as shown in Fig. by swagmg. The cavities 16 of the member 11 corres nd to the uniform bends 17 of the central stee ribbon and are approximately the same width as the inwardly extending dividing members 18. It will be apparent from an inspection of 5 that the IlbbOIlS 11 now take on the shape of a rack, the teeth members 18 dove-tailing into the uniform corrugated ribbon member 10 and such teeth members 18 being alternately opposed on either side of the corrugations 17 of the member 10. The member 10 is composed of semi-soft steel initially but after bei bent and compressed into the form shown in ig. 3 it takes on a certain amount which results in producting a spring effect when laced under tension or compression.

the ribbons 10 and 11 may be composed It ould be understood at this point thag 0 ve thin material two one thousandths of an inc more or less and that a complete piston havin a lineal measurement of say eig t or ten inches is consequently made up of a at multiplicity of laminations and that a s ight space of 'one hundredth of one thousandth of an inch may present a solid surface to the eye and be the same as solid for some purposes, yet present a longitudinally compressible and expansible material when con- 4 and 5 more clearly and 22 for the purpose of presenting a buttended ring. A wire 23 may be secured in the end 21 and ada ted to slide in a hole 24 provided in the en 22 if desired for the purpose of guiding and holding the ends of the ring when inserting in the bore of a cylinder. Any other form of joint on the ring ends would be sufiicient for the purpose, the wire 23 not being essential for the operation of the ring but beingl valuable for the purpose of maintainingt e ring in a circular form prior to assembling on a piston and allowing the ring to be easil assembled in the piston ring oove 19 of t e piston 20. When the ring is bentinto a circ e as shown in Fig. 6 it is apparent that there is a radial spring efiect created in the ring material due to the fact that the central ribbon is com 'sed of a more or less tempered metal and t at each of the segments 14 are opening slightly on the periphery of the ring at the lines and the inner edge of the ring is tending to squeeze the lines at that point together, all of which tends to produce a potential thrust outward, but I am not dependent altogether upon this type of side thrust to maintain a contact on the cylinder wall 25 although such forces in the ring segments are active on the cylinder wall 25 as long as the ends 21 and 22 are maintained in contact, yet, I may obtain a radial thrust upon the iylinder wall 25 in a difi'erent manner as I wi now describe, the thrust'being uniforn as is not the case where cast rings are use Due to the fact that the ring material may be compressed lengthwise, as previously mentioned, I construct the slightly longer than it will bewhen iii lhe cylinder bore such that the expanded diameter of the ring is greater than the bore of the cylinder as shown in Fig. 10; the piston P is now inserted in the cylinder bore by any suitable means such as pulling the piston and ring down through a tapered sleeve 36, the small end being the size of the cylinder bore or slightly smaller when the rin or 35, as the case may be, is thus ul ed through a tapered sleeve 36 such as s own in Fig. 13, the laminations of the ring 30 or are compressed together causing the diameter of the ring to shrink, the lateral thrust on the cylinder wall 25 to increase, and the ring to conform to any desired outline of the cylinder wall 25.

Fig. 8 shows the ring with the swaged odgea13ontheoutersideoftheringsuch that the minute cracks across the wearing surface would provide oil distribution on the cylinder wall. The natural spring or resiliency of this ring arrangement is, as taken across the diameter of the ring, somewhat less than that shown at Fig. 6 due to the fact that the crimped metal is bent along the center of the curves of the crimp bend while in that shown in Fig. 6 the bending of the metal is across the width of the metal.

It will be apparent that much more resistance is present in bending a crimped ribbon into a circle with the edges of the metal on the periphery of the ring as shown in Figs. 3 and 6 than would be the case if the ring material was turned at ninety degrees as shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 14 shows another feature of this invention, in that the lower crimped side 40 is left in its original shape as shown in Fig. 2, the top side only being swaged. The center and top ribbons 10 and 11 respectively are identically the same as in Fig. 3 but by leaving the loops 41 rounded except for a slight flattening at their tops necessary for fitting requirements in the piston groove 19, a very desirable eifect may be accomplished. The ring naturally carries some oil up with each stroke of the piston and on the downward stroke a portion of such oil is forced in under the ring between the crimped or scalloped surface 41 to the effect that a reservoir of oil is always maintained behind the ring in the piston groove 19. The purpose of this reservoir of oil is two-fold, i. e., to lubricate the piston rin and to provide an oil cushion against WhlCh the piston body 20 may cushion when the piston tends to thrust to one side on the ring. This cushion effect is suflicient to lessen the slap of the piston due to the fact that the time factor involved in displacing the p11 when the piston 20 tends to move sidewise against the cylinder wall 25 is too great to allow the piston to act quickly and before the oil can be displaced around the ring or from under it, the piston is too far advanced on its stroke to be noticeable, and during this piston stroke the cavity behind the ring is again being replenished with oil.

I claim:

1. A flexible packing ring for pistons and the like comprising a plurality of metal ribbons, said ribbons corrugated together in a unitary manner and in close formation, said corrugated formations being substantially perpendicularly disposed with respect to the side walls of a piston.

2. A flexible packing ring for pistons and the like comprising a plurality of metal ribbons, said ribbons corrugated together in a unitary manner and in close formation, said corrugated formations being substantially perpendicularly disposed with respect to the side wall of a piston, the top loops of said corrugations being flattened to form a continuous flat surface.

3. A flexible packing rin for the like comprising a plura ity o bons, said ribbons unitary manner and in close formation, said corrugated formations being substantially perpendicularly disposed with respect to the side wall of a piston, the top and bottom loops of said corrugations being flattened to form a continuous flat surface.

4. A flexible packing ring for istons and the like comprising a plurality 0? metal ribbons, said ribbons corrugated together in a unitary manner and in close formation, said corrugated formations being substantially perpendicularly disposed with respect to the side wall of a piston, the top loops of said corrugations being flattened to form a continuous flat surface, the ends of said ring being adapted to butt, and means for holding said ring ends in place.

5. A flexible packing ring for istons and the like comprising a pluralit 0? metal ribbons, said ribbons corrugate together in a unitary manner and in close formation, said corrugated formations being substantially perpendicularly disposed with respect to the side wall of a piston, the top and bottom loops of said corrugation being flattened to form a continuous flat surface, the ends of said ring being adapted to butt, and means for holding said ring ends in lace.

6. A flexible packing ring for pistons and the like formed from a pluralit of metal ribbons folded upon themselves, t 1e central ribbon comprising a true corrugated member adapted to be compressed and expanded lon itudinally, interlocking outer members a so adapted to be compressed and expanded longitudinally, the ends of said members adapted to butt each other to form a substantially closed ring.

7. A flexible packing ring material for pistons and the like comprising a plurality of ribbons formed into transverse corrugations, the said corrugations being pressed together longitudinally of the ring for the purpose of forming a substantially solid material.

8. A flexible packing ring material for pistons and the like comprising a plurality of ribbons formed into transverse corrugations, the said corrugations being pressed together longitudinally of the ring for the purpose of forming a substantially solid material, said material being flattened along the tops of the corrugations for the purpose of furnishing a substantially uninterrupted surface.

9. A flexible packing ring material for pistons and the like comprising a plurality of ribbons formed into transverse corrugations, the said corrugations being pressed together longitudinall of the ring for the purpose of forming a su stantially solid material, said pistons and metal ribcorrugated together in a i material being flattened alon the tops and bottoms of said corrugations or the purpose of furnishing a substantially uninterrupted surface.

10. A flexible packing ring material for pistons and the like comprising three portions, a substantially true corrugated central ribbon member, two outer ribbon members having substantially uninterrupted parallel outer sides and corrugated inner sides alternately meshing with corrugations of said central rbibon.

11. A flexible packing ring material for pistons and the like comprising three portions, a substantially true corrugated central ribbon member, two outer ribbon members having substantially uninterrupted parallel outer sides and corrugated inner sides alternately meshing with corrugations of said central ribbon, the said outer portions being partially split inwardly from the outside on a medial line of the inner extending corrugations.

12. A flexible closed end piston ring comprising a plurality of ribbons transversely corrugated together and flattened at the tops of said corrugations on the top side of said rm 1 3. A flexible closed end piston ring comprising a pluraltiy of ribbons transversely corrugated together and flattened on the corrugated bends to form substantially uninterrupted surfaces.

14. A flexible packing ring material for pistons and the like comprising three parts, the center portion comprising a substantially parallelly corrugated ribbon, the two outer portions com risin alternate interlocking loops surroun ing t e loops of said corrugations on said central portion, said outer portions being formed integral with said central corrugated ribbon, the material of said outer portions being folded on itself alternately with respect to the oppn loop portions surrounding the center r1 top of said outer portions being flattened to form flat parallel sides.

15. Packing material for pistons and the like comprising a plurality of metal ribbons transversely corrugated together in close formation.

16. Packing material for pistons and the like comprising a plurality of metal ribbons transversely corrugated together 1n close formation, resiliently compressible in its major dimension.

17 Packing material for pistons and the like comprising a plurality of metal ribbons transversely corrugated together in close formation, the adjacent loops of said corrugations being flattened.

18. Packing material for pistons and the like comprising a plurality of metal ribbons transversely corrugated together in close formotion, the adjacent loops of said corrugabon corrugations, the

tions being flattened and said material being resiliently compressible in its major dimenslon.

19. Packing material for pistons and the like comprising a plurality of metal ribbons transversely corrugated together in close formation, the adjacent loops of said corrugations being flattened on opposite sides of said material.

20. Packing material for pistons and the like comprising a plurality of metal ribbons transversely corrugated together in close forlike comprising a plurality of metal ribbons transversely corrugated together in close formation, resiliently compressible in its major dimension and flexible in either of its minor dimensions. 1 a

23. Packing material for pistons and the like comprising a plurality of metal ribbons transversely corrugated together in close formation, the adjacent loops of said corru tions being flattened and said material being flexible in either of its minor dimensions.

24. Packing material for pistons and the like comprising a plurality of metal ribbons transversely corrugated together in close formation, the adjacent loops of said corrugations being flattened and said material being resiliently compressible in its major dimension and flexible in either of its minor dimensions.

25. In combination a piston or the like and a packing ring comprising a. plurality of metal ribbons transversely corru ated in close formation, the corrugations t ereof being disposed perpendicularly to the side wall of the piston.

26. In combination a and a packing ring comprising a plurality of metal ribbons transversely corrugated in close formation, the corrugations thereof being disposed perpendicularly to the side wall of the piston, and the rin being resiliently compressible in its major imension.

piston or the like 27. combination a. piston or the like and A a packingb ring comprising a pluralit of metal rib ons transversely corrugate in close formation, the corrugations thereof being disposed pe endicularly to the side wall of the piston, t e adjacent loops of said corrugations being flattened.

28. In combination a piston or the like and a packing ring comprising a plurality of metal ribbons transversely corrugated in close formation, the corrugations thereof being disposed perpendicularly to the side walls of the piston, the adjacent loops of said corrugations being flattened and the ring being resiliently compressible in its ma or dimension.

29. In combination a piston or the like and a packing ring comprising a plurality of metal ribbons transversely corrugated in close formation, the corrugations thereof being disposed perpendicularly to the side wall of the piston, the adjacent loops of said corrugations being flattened on opposite sides of the ring.

30. In combination a piston or the like and a packing ring comprising a plurality of metal ribbons transversely corrugated in close formation, the corrugations thereof being disposed per endicularly to the side wall of the piston, t e adjacent loops of said corrugations being flattened on opposite sides of the ring and the ring being resiliently compressible in its major dimension.

31. In combination a piston or the like and a packing ring comprising a plurality of metal ribbons transversely corrugated in close formation, the corrugations thereof being disposed perpendicularly to the side wall of the piston, and the ring being flexible in the plane of either of its minor dimensions.

32. In combination a piston or the like and a packing ring comprising a. pluralit of metal ribbons transversely corrugated in close formation, the corrugations thereof being disposed perpendicularly to the side wall of the piston, and the ring being resiliently compressible in its major dimension and being flexible in the plane of either of its minor dimensions.

compressible in its major dimension, and flexible in the plane of either of its minor dimensions.

37. Packing material for pistons and the like comprising three metal ribbons transversely corrugated together and resiliently compressible in its major dimension, the adjacent loops of the corrugations being flattened.

38. Packing material for pistons and the like comprising an odd number of metal ribbons transversely corrugated to that and resiliently compressible 1n its major dimension.

39. Packing material for pistons and the like comprising an odd number of metal ribbons transversely corrugated ther and resiliently compressible in its ma or dimension, and flexible in the plane of either of its minor dimensions.

40. Packing material for pistons and the like comprising an odd number of metal ribbons transversely corrugated together and resiliently compressible in its major dimension, the adjacent loops of the corrugations being flattened.

Signed b me at Boston, this eighth ay of April, 1931.

THOMAS A.

Massachusetts,

Bowen's.

33. In combination a piston or the like and a packing ring comprising a plurality of metal ribbons transversely corrugated in close formation, the corrugations thereof being disposed perpendicularly to the side wall of the piston, the adjacent loops of said corrugations being flattened and said material being flexible in either of its minor dimensions.

34. In combination a' piston or the like and a packing ring comprising a plurality of m a metal ribbons transversely corrugate close formation, the corrugations thereof being disposed perpendicularly to the side wall of the piston, the adjacent loops of said corrugations bein flattened and said material being resilient y compressible in its major dimensions and flexible in either of its minor dimensions.

35. Packing material for pistons and the like comprising three metal ribbons transversely corrugated together and resiliently.

compressible in its major dimension.

36. Packing material for pistons and the like comprising three metal ribbons transversely corrugated together and resiliently CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Reissue Patent No. 18,102. Granted June 16, 1931, to

THOMAS A. BOWERS.

It is hereby certified that the assignee in the above numbered patent was erroneously described and specified as "Pressed Piston Ring Company". yhereas said assignee should have been described and specified as The Flexion Company,

as shown by the records of assignments in this office; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the gatent Office.

Signed and sealed illis' fh'day of August A. D, 1931.

Wm. A. Kinnan (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

